Hothouse or protector for young- plants



C. M. STUBER.

HOTHOUSE 0R PROTECTOR FOR YOUNG PLANTS. APPLICATION FILED MAYIO, 19:9;

1,326,113. Patented Dec. 23,1919.

6 I q .1; 6 I I UNTT' STATS .a'rnr cLYDE ivrps'run'nn, 0F BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA;

HOTHOUSE OR PROTECTOR FOR YOUNG PLANTS.

Specification of Letterslatent. Patented Dec. 23, 1-919.

Application filed. May 10, 1919.. Serial No. 296,211.

To all whom it may concern:

Beuit known that I, CLYDE. M. STUBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bethlehem, .in the, county of. Northampton 'and'Statc of Pennsylvania, have inventedv certain new. and useful Improvements. in

Hothouses. or Protectors for YoungP-lants,

of which the following is a specification,

reference bein'gthad to the accompanying."

drawings.

This invention relatesto an improved pro.-

tector or hothouse, particularly adapted for housing young plants, for lnstance, bean, strawberry, cabbage, pepper and. various.

other plants,.too numerous to mention in this application. H

Heretofore ithas been found thatthe bios:

soms of various youngplants, when planted;

in the early spring, have been considerably damaged, owing to the frost, and also ow ng to therain, too much of which causes rotting or decay of the fruit.

practically destroyed, in which case the crop will be almost-nothing, which will not pay for the planting.

Therefore, the invention aims to provide a" protector or hot-house, whereby these disadvantages may be overcome, in orderto attain a very large crop.

In order to accomplish this-result, the in vention aims to provide a housing, which consistsof a frame, or several frames adjacent each other, and including-glass panels arrangedfinthe sides and top of the frames,

for inclosing or housing young plants, thereby keeping out the frost, as wellas prevent ing the ram from beatingdown the VlllGS.

Whenutilizing several housings or protectors, it is the aim of the invention to provide" a hot-bed, on which the frames may rest, say for instance, several'of them in parallelism to each other, the adjacent side glasses of which being removed, and certain of them supported in positions bridging the spaces between the frames ofthe housing, thereby providing a housing extending over twoormore rows of young plants.

It is known that protectors or hot-houses for young plants have been heretofore used.

However, in such devicesthe frames have been constructed of woodworkywhich neces-- sarily complicates the construction and also after one season, or possibly two seasons of Beans when planted a in the early spring sprout in a very short while, for instance in about two weeks, and if there be heavy frost, the vines will be instance of galvanized iron, for the support I At the start it is pos-- siblethata protector of this kind includingof the glass panel.

a metallic frame would involve more expense than a protector, includinga wooden frame.

'However, shoulda metallic. frame be employed, which is the design of the present invention, .it isconclusive that sucha frame could be used fora number of years, and in the end, the expense would be considerably reduced by the :use of a metallic frame.

Furthermore, the metallic frame lS'lTlOlG substantialand practical, owingto the above reasons, and also neater. in appearance. Furthermore, metallic framesare easier to handle, and should they become bent they can be straightened, whereas in the case "of a wooden frame, it would require considerable work to repair the corner bars of the frame.

In certainother protectors the panels are arranged, as inclined toward each other, thereby; providing a protector which is V- shaped in cross-section, WlllCll it has been foundxprevents the tops of the young plants from spreading. In the present invention, it is theuaim to providea three+panel protector, that is two sides andthe top, whereby the tops-of theplants may easily spread. A further advantage attained in providing a protector having two sides and the top is that the'protectors may be arranged adja cent eachwother in parallelism, the adjacent sidesof the protectorsbeing removed, and certam of the sides or panels used to bridge the spacesbetween the frames of the protectors, in. order to provide ahousing or protector over severalrows of plants. In thedeviceswhich are V-shaped in cross section, as heretofore mentioned, this result is not attainable.

A further advantage gained by the pro tector having the two sides and the top is thatthe'top panel may be held in a slightly raised position at one edge, not only allowing the rain to run ofl, but also permit of ventilation.

The invention further aims to provide means for supporting the top panel in a slightly raised position, the same means being also employed to engage the top panel, and lift one edge thereof out of engagement with the frame.

The invention further aims to provide a galvanized sheet metal frame, that is 0011- structed of corner angle bars, so brazed or riveted together that the glass panels may he slid into position, the angular recesses of such angle corner bars acting as guides, for the reception of the edges of the glass panels. a

It may be mentioned that the frames of the protector may be used without the glass panels, that is the frame may be arranged over the row of plants, and a piece of light carpet or rags may be thrown over the frame, that is when the plants are real young, thereby keeping out the hot sun, particularly during the hottest part of the day. However, in the morning, that is after the frost has gone, the glass panels may be used, and then again in the late evening, and. until the next morning. In this way the frost is-prevented from injuring the plants, that is when they are real young, and then by covering the frames with the rags or carpet during the hottest part of the day, the plants are protected from the hot sun. lit has been found that this method of pro testing plants enables a truck farmer gardener to produce a large crop at the end of the season.

While the design and construction at present illustrated and set forth is deemed preferable it is obvious that as a result of a reduction of the invention to a more practical form for commercial purposes, the invention may be susceptible to changes, and the right to these changes is claimed, provided they are comprehended within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings, and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a single protector or hot-house constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the top panel slightly raised and supported in such raised position by means of a prop.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of several of the protectors or hot-houses arranged adjacent each other in parallelism, supported upon a hot-bed and in such a use of the device it will be noted that the adjacent panels of the protectors have been removed, one of said removed panels being supported by means of transverse members, in order to bridge the space between the protectors.

Fig. iis an enlarged detail. view of the frame of the protector, showing the detail construction of the grooves, for the reception of the panels.

Fig. 5 is a detail View of the prop.

Fig. 6 is a detail View of one of the supports to hold one of the panels as bridging the space between the adjacent protectors.

Referring to'the drawings, 1 designates the frame of a protector as a whole. This frame comprises elongated bottom, and top corner bars Qand 3. It is to be noted that these bars are constructed of galvanized iron angle pieces. The bottom corner angle pie"es are arranged whereby their angular recesses face inwardly, certain of the flanges of said pieces being positioned hori ontally to limit the glass panel in its downward movement, when slid into position in the frame.

The top angle corner pieces are correspondingly arranged, so that the top glass panel 4- may rest within the angle pieces, in such wise as to prevent the flatwise movement of the panel. The frame also consists of the end bottom and top corner pieces 5 and 6 of galvanized iron. It is to be noted that the bottom end corner pieces 5 are ar ranged r'eversely to the side corner pieces 2, in fact certain of their flanges extend downwardly, in order to engage into the soil. However, the upper end corner pieces 6 are disposed correspondingly to the longitudinal upper side corner pieces 3, whereby the top panel may rest therein, in the same manner as it does upon the longitudinal side corner pieces. Owing to this construction of the end top corner pieces thetop panel is:

prevented from movement lengthwise. The

frame also includes the inclined end corner pieces 7 and 8. These pieces are constructed from galvanised channel iron, and are dis posed in such wise that the inclined side panel glasses9 may he slid into the channels of these pie es, that is from the top of the frame, and owing to the bottom corner pieces 2 being disposed so that certain of their flanges are horizontal, said horizontal flanges limiting the inclined side panel glasses in their movements downwardly. in view of this, it will be seen that the frames can be moved from one place to another, without the inclined. side panel glasses fall ing from the frame. 7

A. protector constructed along such lines may be used to house or inclose a row of young plants, and in view of the fact that the protectors are open at both ends, several protectors may be arranged adjacent each other endwise, in order to cover a long row of young plants in such a case the end of the row of protectors being closed by a board or the like improvisedfor this purpose, that is through the night, and if found necessary, through certain parts of the day. However, it has been found very essential to leave the ends of the protector open, the protectors when used in a series end to end, so as to permit of a-thorough ventilation through the protectors lengthwise. It is obvious that when so arranging a row of protectors, it is possible to slightly raise every other top panel, and owing to the remote ends of the entire length of protectors being open, the interior of the protectors may be thoroughly ventilated, in other words, allowing the air to thoroughly circulate about the plants. Furthermore, owing to the particular shape of the protectors in cross-section, that is having the two sides and the top, the tops of the plants are allowed to spread, and owing to the thorough circulation, it has been found that the young plants will quickly thrive. Say, for instance, three protectors are employed, arranged adjacent each other endwise. In this case, the central top panel of the central protector may be slightly raised, and then by reason of the remote ends of the end protectors being open, air is allowed to thoroughly circulate through the protectors. The air will enter the ends and rise from the opening of the central protect-or, the top panel having been slightly raised. a

In order to hold the top panel raised an improved prop has been devised, which is formed from a single length of wire, which is shown in Fig. 5, and this prop consists of a body part 10, the ends of which are provided with U-shaped parts or yokes 11 and 12. The U-shaped part or yoke 11, it will be noted, straddles the vertical flange of one of the longitudinal corner pieces, while the U-shaped part or yoke 12 straddles one longitudinal side edge of the top glass panel, as shown in the drawings, thereby supporting the top panel slightly raised. It is obvious that by gripping a part of the yoke 12, and inserting the end of the longer arm of the yoke 11 between the vertical flange of one of the upper longitudinal corner pieces, and the edge of the glass panel, it is possible to raise the panel sufficiently, to

permit it to be grasped by the hands, so that,

the prop may be positioned in place.

In some instances, protectors of this character are used in plurality, and in connection with hot-beds. For example, the hotbed is buried or countersunk into the soil, and consists of wood frames, and into the hot-bed 13, requisite soil is deposited, for the planting of young plants, such as beans, strawberry plants and numerous other plants. Cross pieces or supports 14; are then arranged across the hot-bed and the protectors are supported on the crosspieces. IVhen so used, it is the aim to construct a hot-bed so as to permit of a series of protectors arranged endwise adjacent each other and in two rows in parallelism with each other. When so used the adjacent panels of the protectors are removed, and certain of the removedpanels are supported on supporting members 15, the hooked ends 16 of which engage the upper longitudinal corner pieces of the frames of the protectors. These supporting pieces are constructed from single lengths of wire, having hooks on their. ends.

As previously stated, the frames of the protectors may be used without the panels, and in such instances an old piece of carpet may be thrown over the frame, in order to cover the young plants and protect them from the hot sun. Old rags may be employed for this purpose, but after the plants have reached sufficient growth, the rags or carpet may be removed, and the panels substituted.

Not only can strawberry plants be protected from too much rain, which causes them to rot, but they and other similar plants can be protected from the pests (that very often spoil all the crops) by simply applying window screens or other wire meshwork or fabric on the protecting frames, in lieu of the glass panels. In other words, frames having wire fabric pieces stretched thereover may be constructed in shapes or contours corresponding to the glass panels, and maybe substituted in lieu of the glass panels, supported by the angle or channel bar of the protecting frame. For instance one or two, or all three of the glass panels may be moved, and the wire fabric coverings applied in their stead. It is obvious that any suitable wire fabric or 'meshwork, without holding the frame may be disposed on the protecting frames in lieu of the glass panels. lVhile this wire fabric means of covering the frames is not shown in the drawings, nevertheless it is obvious that such a covering can be employed, and furthermore the invention should not be limited to the glass panels alone, since it is obvious that wire fabric coverings would be within the limits of what is claimed.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In a plant protector, the combination with a plurality of protectors comprising frames arranged adjacent each other in parallelism, said frames when so arranged having remote downwardly and outwardly inclined side panels, a top panel for each frame, and a glass panel bridging the space between the frames, means for supporting the panel which bridges from one frame to the other.

2. In a plant protector, a plurality of protectors arranged endwise adjacent each other, and lengthwise adjacent each other in parallelism, said protectors comprising frames, side panels for said frames,

the adjacent side panels being removable and certain of which panels when removed heing si'ippor ed to bridge the space between adjacent parallel trainee, inc-ans to support such bridging removed panels, top panels for the frames, the frames having their upper portions provided for the reception of said top panels.

3. In a plant protector, a plurality of protectors arranged endwisc adjacent each other, and lengthwise adjacent each other in parallelism, said protector-s comprising frames, side panels for said frames, the adjacent side panels heing removable and certain oi which panels when removed lacing supported to bridge the space between adjacent parallel frames, means to support such lira 'ng renamed panels, top panels for the t1 mes, the trams-s having their upper portions provided with means for the reception ol. said top panels, and means to support the top pan 2 ol' the frames in slightly raised positions, whereby the interior oi? the protectors may he ventilated.

at. In a protector, the combination with a frame comprising upper and lower longitudially extending angle corner pieces, of end corner pieces having cnannels and having their lower ends engaging wi hin t ilO lower longitudinal angle pieces, and their upper ends engaging on the exterior of the upper longitudinal angle pieces, transparent pane s engaging the end corner pieces and being supported by the lower longitudinal angle pieces, a top panel engaging the upper longitudinal angle pieces, said end corner pieces being inclined downwardly and outwardly. connections between the upper ends of the end corner pieces, and ransverse angle pieces connecting the coir j ends oi. the lower hirgitudinal augie pieces, each of said transverse angle pieces having one of its flanges extending downwardly to embed into the ground, to prevent movement of the protector.

5. In a protector, the combination with frame comprising longitudinally extending top and bottom ai- 'le corner pieces, of downwardly diverg, g channels pieces connecting the ends of the longitudinally extending angle pieces, panels ci'igaging said channel. piees, the lower longitudinally ex tending angle pieces being disposed to receive the lower edges of the panels for sup-- porting the panels, upper transverse end pieces connecting the corner channel pieces, a top panel. engaging within the upper longitudinally extending angle pieces, and transverse lower angle pieces connecting the corresponding ends of the lower longitudinally extending angle pieces, said lower transrerse angle pieces having certain o'l heir flanges extending downwardly to hite into the soil to prevent movement oi the protector.

(3. A plant protector comprising upper and lower longitudinally extending angle pieces, end corner pieces connected to the ends of the upper longitudinally (cit angle pieces, said end corner pieces a positioned on the exteriors oi the upper longitudinally extending angle pieces and having channels for the reception of panels, the lower ends of the end corner pieces he secured to the interiors of the lower longitudinal pieces, whereby the lower longitu dinal pieces may support the panels, a top panel engaging the upper longitudi' ,1 angle pieces, upper transverse end pie es connecting the diverging corn r pieces, and trans Verse lower angle pieces connecting the corresponding ends oi} the lower longitudinal angle pieces and having certain of their flanges embedding into the soil.

7. A plant protector frame comprising longitudinally extending top and llOttOlll longitudinal pieces, doi'vnwardly diverging end corner pieces, connecting the lon itudii'ially extending top and bottom pieces, hating guides, side panels engaging said guides, a top panel engaging the n iper longitudinally extending pieces, up or trans- Yerse end pieces connecting the upper ends of said corner pieces, an-c angle p eces connecting the corresponding ends oi the lower longitudinally extending pieces, and having means extending downwardly adapted to emhed into the soil.

In testimony whereof I hereunto in i signature in the presence of we witncc CLYDE M. SlUBEl-l.

Witnesses M. A. Transom, W. L. l/VILLIAMS. 

